The Eagles head into Monday night at Lincoln Financial Field with the kind of margin for error that’s vanished fast. They’re 2-4, riding a four-game losing streak and now without Jalen Hurts for the rest of the season. That leaves Tanner McKee, a shorthanded offense and a defense that’s been asked to carry too much to try to steady things against the Cowboys.
It’s the sort of game that can either stop the slide or drag it deeper.
One thing that should travel well for Philadelphia is Saquon Barkley. He’s questionable, but expected to play after missing time with a hamstring injury suffered against the Los Angeles Rams in Week 4.
Even if the yards don’t come cleanly behind a makeshift offensive line, Barkley looks set for a heavy workload. That matters even more with DeVonta Smith and Dontayvion Wicks out, because the Eagles are going to need him to help drive the entire offense.
Dallas also presents a soft spot on the ground, entering Sunday’s games allowing 149.8 rushing yards per game, worst in the NFL. That points to Barkley getting fed early and often, with a real chance to post his first 100-yard game of the 2026 season.
The passing game, meanwhile, should funnel toward Makai Lemon. Nick Sirianni said “everything’s on the table” to fix the offense, and Mannion said he still has unwavering belief in his under-center scheme, but the Eagles have been the league’s worst under-center team.
McKee appears more comfortable in the shotgun, and that could push the offense toward quicker throws and a more streamlined plan. That setup fits Lemon, the first-round rookie who made his name at USC working the slot and attacking the middle.
With Smith and Wicks unavailable, McKee should lean on Lemon, and Mannion should have every reason to make him the centerpiece of the passing game. Eight or more targets feels well within reach.
Dak Prescott, though, should have his own runway. Philadelphia’s pass rush has been underwhelming all season, with only the Miami Dolphins below the Eagles’ eight sacks entering Week 7.
Nolan Smith is out with a concussion, while Jalyx Hunt and Jonathan Greenard are both questionable. That leaves open the possibility that Arnold Ebiketie and A.J.
Epenesa are the top edge options against Dallas. Add in the Cowboys’ protection - just seven sacks allowed, third-fewest in the league - and Prescott could get comfortable quickly.
That’s a dangerous combination when he’s throwing to CeeDee Lamb, George Pickens and the rest of Dallas’ receiving group. A 300-yard night is very much in play.
Dallas Goedert should also be in line for a scoring chance. Even with Smith and Wicks available last week, McKee looked his way eight times, and Goedert finished with six catches in the loss to the Carolina Panthers.
Now the Eagles are thinner at receiver, and Goedert’s value in the red zone stands out even more. The Eagles have used him effectively there before, especially on shovel passes and other misdirection looks.
If Philadelphia does get close, Dallas figures to key on Barkley first, and that could open the door for Goedert to slip free and finish a drive in the end zone.
Even so, the larger picture still points toward a familiar problem. The spread sits at Cowboys -4.5 as of Sunday morning, and the Eagles may well do enough to stay inside that number.
But if the offense keeps sputtering and the defense keeps spending too much time on the field, the finish could tilt Dallas’ way. That’s been the story too often already.
Against Prescott, Lamb, Pickens and Javonte Williams, another long night for Fangio’s defense would not be a surprise. The Eagles can hang around.
Whether they can hold up for four quarters is another question entirely.
In Other News...
Jason Kelce Delivered A Very Philly Moment Eagles Fans Will Love
The Eagles season has been bruised by injuries, a four-game skid and the kind of offensive frustration that has put Nick Sirianni and Sean Mannion under a harsher spotlight in recent weeks. With Jalen Hurts and Saquon Barkley among the key players unavailable, Philadelphia heads into Week 7 at 2-4 with Tanner McKee now in position to run the offense, and the margin for error has all but vanished.
Amid all that strain, Jason Kelce still managed to give the fan base the kind of feel-good moment it can always appreciate. The former Eagles center drew a memorable reception during a recent game, a reminder that even in a tense stretch for the current team, some Philadelphia favorites can still light up the building and reconnect with the crowd in a way that feels distinctly on brand for this city. [Read more 🡒]
Eagles Fans Will Love Tanner McKees Message Before This Rivalry Game
With Jalen Hurts unavailable, Tanner McKee found himself in the middle of a rivalry spotlight he probably did not expect when the Eagles hosted the Cowboys at Lincoln Financial Field for their Week 8 matchup. Philadelphia leaned on its backup quarterback to help steady the offense, and the pregame tone around the team suggested it was ready for a physical, emotional night against a Dallas team that had already shown it could strike first.
McKee was part of the energy before kickoff and then helped the Eagles move the ball on drives that included Saquon Barkleys touchdown run, a response the home crowd had to appreciate after Dallas opened with a field goal. The Cowboys stayed in the game, too, with Dak Prescott finding CeeDee Lamb for a score, but the bigger question for Philadelphia was how McKee's presence would translate once the lights came on and the rivalry settled into the kind of back-and-forth that usually defines this matchup. [Read more 🡒]
Eagles Fans Now Have A Brutal Effort Debate To Face
Monday night in Dallas offered another uneasy snapshot of where the Eagles are right now, with key absences like Jalen Hurts and DeVonta Smith leaving the offense short-handed and the whole group searching for answers after a loss to the Cowboys. Injuries are part of the story, but they are not the whole story, especially when a team that prides itself on physical play starts looking out of sync and short on the kind of energy that usually travels well even on a tough road night.
Brian Baldinger added to the conversation by pointing to effort and readiness, not just execution, as the bigger issue. He highlighted moments where Eagles players did not appear prepared when the ball was snapped, a criticism that lands hard for a roster that has been through enough roster turnover and injury strain already. The bigger concern now is whether the defense is simply worn down or whether the edge that usually defines this team is slipping in a way that goes beyond one bad game. [Read more 🡒]